BT measures relating to COVID-19 pandemic - CEN-CENELEC
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ISSUE APRIL 2021 - Vol 9.
Decisions from 65th CEN/BT TCMG - 92nd CEN/BT - 167th CLC/BT
Since the last issue of the BT Newsletter in November 2020, the CEN/BT TCMG has held one meeting,
on 3 December 2020, and the CEN and CENELEC BTs have met once, from 16 to 18 February 2021
(virtual meetings due to COVID-19 pandemic).
We are pleased to report here on the main outcomes of crosscutting nature discussions resulting from
those meetings, as well as on the latest decisions of transversal nature taken by correspondence
(until 31 March 2021).
Best regards
Cinzia MISSIROLI
Director Standardization & Digital Solutions
BT measures relating to COVID-19 pandemic
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic the CEN and CENELEC community has consistently
supported the European joint efforts in the fight against its spread, notably through decisions and
measures taken at the Technical Board level.
Standards available free of charge by the Members
Besides those 21 Standards related to Medical and protective equipment that were made available
free of charge with a view to support alternative production chains during the COVID-19 outbreak,
the BTs accepted that the Members enlarged the set of national implementations available free of
charge, in order to address further needs identified to fight the pandemic (covering e.g.
respiratory and ventilatory equipment).
At their common session of February, the BTs re-assessed the situation in the light of the
Members’ experience since March 2020. The BTs decided by majority that the decisions taken by
the CAs in November 2020, limiting the validity of these exceptional measures to 31 March 2021,
were still justified.
Therefore, the BTs recommended the CAs to maintain 31 March 2021 as the latest date by which
the Members can still make available free-of-charge the national implementations of European
standards which they deem necessary to help combat COVID-19. The CAs endorsed the BT
recommendation at their meeting of 24 March.
Decision ref: CEN/BT 004/2021 and CLC/BT 167/011, applicable from 2021-02-17
Contact person: Ms Catherine VIGNERON (cvigneron@cencenelec.eu)
CWA on COVID-19 health and safety protocols for tourism establishments and
services
CEN/BT examined an urgent request from the EC to develop a European standardization
deliverable on ‘COVID-19 health and safety protocols for tourism establishments and services’,
with a clear visual identity (easy to display by businesses and easy to understand by consumers),
by April 2021.
1Committed to support the European tourism industry, CEN/BT decided to address this request in a
two-fold approach, which will guarantee a comprehensive and coherent response: CEN will adopt
ISO/PAS 5643 ‘Tourism and related services - Measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the
tourism industry’ as a European deliverable (CEN/CWA 5643-1); in parallel, specific European
needs (such as the visual identity) will be covered by a second deliverable (CEN/CWA 5643-2),
which will complement the first one. The work on this second part started in February, within a
dedicated Workshop (UNE holding the secretariat). Both CWAs should be published at the same
time, as a package, most probably by mid-May 2021.
CEN/BT also invited the Members to make both CWAs available at national level; the visual identity
will be made available free-of-charge on the CEN website.
Finally, CEN/BT asked CEN/TC 329 ‘Tourism services’ to consider the possibility to use those CWAs
as a basis for the development of wider consensus-based document(s).
Decision ref: CEN/BT C024/2021, applicable from 2021-02-17
CEN/BT 009/2021, applicable from 2021-02-18
Contact person: Ms Christina THORNGREEN (cthorngreen@cencenelec.eu)
Tolerance and flexibility in the Standards development process
In order to reduce pressure on Technical Bodies that still encounter difficulties to catch up with the
standard development timeframe due to the pandemic, the BTs took a series of decisions
throughout 2020 in order to ensure more flexibility and tolerance in the system (Decisions
CEN/BT 033/2020 & 036/2020 - CLC/BT D166/C014 & 009). At their meeting of February, the BTs
re-assessed the situation, noting the persisting difficulties due to the pandemic:
• In CEN:
- BT asked CCMC not to cancel WIs having a delay of up to 26 weeks from the target date for
Enquiry and Formal Vote – this exceptional measure will end on 2021-06-30
- TCs are reminded of the possibility to request a 39-week tolerance and, for CEN WIs under
the flexible standards development process, to change the initial planning via the ‘one-
change’ option – from now on, this change does not require a TC decision but shall reflect
an agreement between the TC leadership and the relevant WG convenor
• In CENELEC:
- BT decided not to prolong the exceptional measure (which ended on 2020-12-31) relating to
the non-deletion of delayed WIs
- TCs are reminded of the possibility to request the 39-week tolerance and, for CENELEC
homegrown WIs under the flexible standards development process, to change the initial
planning via the ‘one-change’ option – from now on, this change does not require a TC
decision but shall reflect an agreement between the TC leadership and the relevant WG
convenor and the TC must be informed accordingly
The BTs also decided to terminate the temporary possibility to reduce the notice period for virtual
meetings (to one month). The usual notice period of 2 months is again in application.
Finally, the BTs reminded that the agenda and supporting documents of a TC meeting shall be
circulated in line with the provisions of Clause 12.4.1 of the CEN/CENELEC IR Part 2:
- 2 months before meeting: agenda
- (at least) 4 weeks before meeting: documents for discussion
- 2 weeks before meeting: national comments on those documents
- Before end of meeting: resolutions and decisions
- 4 weeks after meeting: minutes
- 4 weeks after receipt: comments on decisions or minutes
- As soon as possible after meeting: new draft texts
Decision ref: CLC/BT D167/005, applicable from 2021-02-16
CEN/BT 007/2021, applicable from 2021-02-18
Contact person: Mr Alberto SIMEONI (asimeoni@cencenelec.eu)
The Project Manager following the activities of your TC
2Common CEN-CENELEC matters
CEN and CENELEC strategy 2030
The CEN and CENELEC Strategy 2030 was adopted by the General Assemblies end of November
2020, articulated around 5 Strategic Goals:
1. EU and EFTA recognize and use the strategic value of the European standardization system.
2. Our customers and stakeholders benefit from state-of-the-art digital solutions.
3. Increase the use and awareness of CEN and CENELEC deliverables.
4. The CEN and CENELEC system to be the preferred choice for standardization in Europe.
5. Strengthen our leadership and ambitions at the international level.
To deliver upon those strategic goals, a Task Force has been set up, with the mission to develop
an Implementation Plan, which will include measurable and actionable objectives to be achieved
against a predefined timeline, involving all actors in the CEN-CENELEC community, including the
governance bodies. The BTs will also be engaged, taking ownership of relevant strategic
objectives.
Contact person: Mr Brecht LEIN (blein@cencenelec.eu)
Processes and operational matters
Feedback mechanism
In line with one of the objectives in the Ambitions 2020 ‘to develop a feedback mechanism for
stakeholders’ comments following the publication of a standard' and the current practices at ISO
and IEC level, the BTs decided the addition of the following sentences in the forewords of ENs,
TRs, TSs that will be published as of 1 July 2021, to inform customers on how to provide
feedback on published documents:
• CEN documents:
“Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national
standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.”
• CENELEC documents:
“Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national
committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CENELEC website.”
• Documents from a CEN-CENELEC group:
“Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national
standards body/national committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN
and CENELEC websites.”
Decision ref: CEN/BT 001/2021 and CLC/BT D167/008, applicable from 2021-02-17
Contact person: Mr Gonçalo ASCENSAO (gascensao@cencenelec.eu)
Process for inclusion of anomalous deliverables
To ensure the proper handling of ‘anomalous’ deliverables, e.g. taking the form of a database or
software, which are currently not covered by rules, the BTs decided the following process, based
on a proposal from the Strategic Advisory Group on Digital and Information Technology (DITSAG):
• the Technical Body submits a request (including necessary supporting justification) to BT
(the project is on hold)
• BT consults the Joint Commercial Advisory Group (JCAG) and the DITSAG Task Force (TF)
‘Digital Content’, as appropriate
• Based on their advice, BT takes the final decision on the Technical Body’s request
• CCMC follows up and uploads the files as necessary, and provides information on the validity of
the digital content in line with the JCAG and DITSAG TF ‘Digital content’ advice.
Decision ref: CEN/BT 002/2021 and CLC/BT D167/009, applicable from 2021-02-17
Contact person: Mr Alberto SIMEONI (asimeoni@cencenelec.eu)
3Reactivation of withdrawn standards
In 2020 discussions already took place at BT level to address the possible EC request to reactivate
harmonized Standards that were cited in the OJEU in support of the Construction Product
Regulation (CPR) and that were withdrawn in the meantime. The BTs concluded at the time that
withdrawn standards did not reflect the state-of-the art and that, instead, focus should be given on
the revision/amendment of hENs for construction products that had been rejected for citation
(CEN/BT 043/2020 - CLC/BT D166/003).
As other cases have appeared since the above decisions were taken, the BTs re-examined the
situation and took the following decisions, applicable to all sectors and all deliverables (both
harmonized and not harmonized):
• The BTs decided not to change the status of standards from ‘withdrawn’ to ‘active’
• The BTs asked the Technical Committees to focus instead on the revision/amendment of
standards, in particular those that have been rejected by the EC for citation in the OJEU.
Decision ref: CEN/BT 003/2021 and CLC/BT D167/010, applicable from 2021-02-17
Contact person: Mr Gonçalo ASCENSAO (gascensao@cencenelec.eu)
Creation of a CEN-CENELEC JTC on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The BTs created CEN-CLC/JTC 21 ‘Artificial Intelligence’ (secretariat: DS), with the task
• to develop standards (or to transpose at European level standards developed at international
level) in the field of AI and related data, addressing the European market and societal needs, as
well as underpinning EU legislation and policies, and
• to provide guidance to other Technical Committees concerned with AI.
Decision ref: CEN/BT C252/2020 and CLC/BT D168/C022, applicable from 2021-02-24
Contact person: Mr Constant KOHLER (ckohler@cencenelec.eu)
Merging of CGs on Smart Energy Grids and Smart Meters
Considering the close contact between the CEN-CENELEC-ETSI Coordination Group on Smart
Meters (CG-SM) and the CEN-CENELEC-ETSI Coordination Group on Smart Energy Grids (CG-SEG)
since their creation in the frame of Standardization Requests M/441 (Utility meters) and M/490
(Smart grid), the BTs decided to merge CG-SM under the umbrella of CG-SEG (secretariat: NEC),
also noting that ETSI has de facto only one group of experts dealing with both areas.
Decision ref: CEN/BT C263/2020 and CLC/BT D167/C121, applicable from 2021-01-27
Contact person: Ms Mercedes MIRA COSTA (mmira@cencenelec.eu)
Cooperation with EC/EFTA
High Level Meeting with DG GROW on HAS system
The increased scrutiny brought by the HAS assessment system regarding European standards
candidate for citation in the OJEU, is impacting not only CEN and CENELEC development processes
but also ISO and IEC ones. Indeed, in the frame of the Vienna and Frankfurt Agreements, the
processing of European standards candidate for citation at CEN/CENELEC level is also influenced
(and possibly delayed) by the HAS compliance mechanism; this can have a domino effect on the
ISO and IEC development processes, resulting sometimes in the decoupling of the parallel
procedures.
Concerns raised at IEC and ISO governance levels triggered the initiative to organize a meeting
between the Directors/Secretaries General of the four organizations and Ms Kerstin JORNA,
Director-General of DG GROW (Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs). The
meeting is scheduled on 18 May 2021. A common position in close cooperation with ISO and IEC,
with a set of key messages and proposals, is currently prepared, summarizing the challenges
experienced with the current HAS system as well as outlining the value of international
standardization for the European Standardization System.
All relevant information on this topic is shared with the BTs.
Contact person: Ms Cinzia MISSIROLI (cmissiroli@cencenelec.eu)
4CEN & CENELEC contribution to the revision of the Blue Guide
The ‘Blue Guide on the implementation of EU product rules’ is one of the main reference
documents explaining how to implement the legislation based on the New Approach, now covered
by the New Legislative Framework (NLF). The role of standardization, and harmonized Standards
in particular, is therein well acknowledged.
This document, published periodically by the EC, is being revised and has recently been circulated
to a second round of consultation among the stakeholders. The new version includes those
changes that obtained a sufficient level of consensus during the first consultation and focuses on
the role and effects of harmonized standards, in particular from the perspective of economic
operators.
CEN and CENELEC are closely following and contributing to this exercise and the BTs are involved
at each step of the revision process.
Contact person: Mr Alberto SIMEONI (asimeoni@cencenelec.eu)
Standardization Request on Servers and data storage products –Accepted
CEN and CENELEC have accepted the Standardization Request addressed to the 3 ESOs as regards
‘Ecodesign requirements for servers and data storage products’ (M/573). At CEN-CENELEC level,
the work has been allocated to CEN-CLC/JTC 10 'Energy-related products - Material Efficiency
Aspects for Ecodesign' and CEN-CLC/JTC 13 'Cybersecurity and Data Protection', with a request
from BTs to liaise with ETSI TC ‘Environmental Engineering’.
Decision ref: CEN/BT C254/2020 and CLC/BT D167/C101, applicable from 2021-01-13
Contact person: Ms Mercedes MIRA COSTA (mmira@cencenelec.eu)
Cooperation with other Stakeholders
Memorandum of Understanding with Shift2Rail
The BTs agreed with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CEN,
CENELEC and the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking (S2R JU), a public-private partnership providing a
platform for the key stakeholders of the European rail system to work together with a view to
implement a comprehensive and coordinated research and innovation strategy. The MoU will allow
a coordinated approach in order to help achieve the ambitious EU transport policy and climate
change goals. Practical results, with new/revised deliverables, will not only be seen in the Railway
sector but also in Intelligent Transport Systems and Hyperloops.
At their meeting of March the CAs also agreed with the MoU, which will be further circulated to the
General Assemblies for approval.
Decision ref: CEN/BT C228/2020 and CLC/BT D167/C062, applicable from 2020-11-25
Contact person: Mr Thierry LEGRAND (tlegrand@cencenelec.eu)
CEN-only matters
Processes and operational matters
WIs not allocated to TC/WGs
As a matter of principle, NWIs should always be allocated to a TC Working Group in order to have
a clear structure, except for identical adoptions of ISO deliverables, in line with the policy defined
in BT 60/2007:
- The CEN optimization defined a formal structure for standardization activity based on TCs
and WGs, where the development of European Standards and other CEN publications is a
task that can only be allocated to a CEN/TC Working Group; …
- BT Members are asked to instruct the CEN/TC Secretaries in their organization to check
the work programme of their TC and ensure that any work item is allocated to a Working
Group, except in particular, well-identified cases e.g. projects under the Vienna Agreement
with ISO lead.
CEN/BT, having reviewed those few WIS directly allocated to a TC, pledged for some flexibility and
invited the NSBs holding a TC secretariat to continue liaising with the TC to be aware of any issue
related to WIs not allocated to a WG.
5CEN/BT recommendation of 2020-12-03
Creation of CEN/TC 467 on Climate change
CEN/TC 467 ‘Climate change’ (secretariat: UNI) was set up to address standardization in the field
of climate change, including related social and economic aspects, at the organization and product
level. The aim is the development of frameworks, requirements and guidance to support the EU
policies on climate change, also in the perspective of a full implementation of the EU Green Deal.
Decision ref: CEN/BT C178/2020, applicable from 2020-11-25
Contact person: Ms Andrea NAM (anam@cencenelec.eu)
Creation of CEN/TC 468 on Management and preservation of digital content
CEN/TC 468 ‘Management and preservation of digital content’ (secretariat: AFNOR) was created to
work on the standardization of processes in the field of long-term digital preservation of content,
covering all functional, operative and technical aspects (and excluding those sectoral applications
already covered by existing TCs such as a.o. cybersecurity and data protection, e-signature).
Decision ref: CEN/BT C180/2020, applicable from 2020-12-02
Contact person: Mr Laurens HERNALSTEEN (lhernalsteen@cencenelec.eu)
Cooperation with EC/EFTA
Standardization Request on Caps and lids – Accepted
CEN has accepted the Standardization Request as regards ‘Certain single-use plastic beverage
containers with a capacity of up to three litres that have caps and lids made of plastic’ (M/569).
CEN/TC 261 ‘Packaging’ has been allocated the task to develop the expected work in support of
Directive 2019/904/EU.
Decision ref: CEN/BT C205/2020, applicable from 2020-11-12
Contact person: Mr Thierry LEGRAND (tlegrand@cencenelec.eu)
Standardization Request on Functional performance of taps and showers –
Accepted
CEN has accepted the Standardization Request as regards ‘Measurement of functional performance
of taps and showers’ (M/572). The work has been allocated to CEN/TC 164 ‘Water supply’.
Decision ref: CEN/BT C236/2020, applicable from 2020-12-16
Contact person: Ms Mercedes MIRA COSTA (mmira@cencenelec.eu)
Standardization Request on Fishing gear – Accepted
CEN has accepted the Standardization Request as regards ‘Circular design of fishing gear’ (M/574).
The associated deliverables, in support of Directive 2019/904/EU, will be developed by
CEN/TC 466 ‘Sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and fishing gear’.
Decision ref: CEN/BT C009/2021, applicable from 2021-02-17
Contact person: Ms Claire DALIER (cdalier@cencenelec.eu)
6CENELEC-only matters
Processes and operational matters
CIV - Best practice
When the Committee Internal Voting (CIV) is used, the Technical Body secretary shall
- create and link the supporting document to a CIV (uploaded on Collaboration platform);
- have the questions from the CIV copied in this attached document.
The minimum duration of a CIV is 4 weeks.
More information and guidance relating to the use of CIV can be found on the CENELEC BOSS.
Decision ref: CLC/BT D167/002, applicable from 2021-02-16
Contact person: Mr Alberto SIMEONI (asimeoni@cencenelec.eu)
New ‘parking’ stage code for Projects
The stage code 50.92.00 (completion of vote phase – return to Technical Body) will be allocated
to Work Items that are blocked between the end of the vote and ratification.
Decision ref: CLC/BT D167/003, applicable from 2021-02-16 (follow-up of D164/016)
Contact person: Mr Alberto SIMEONI (asimeoni@cencenelec.eu)
Cooperation with IEC - Frankfurt Agreement
Exemptions from parallel procedures
The CENELEC Technical board is closely monitoring the implementation of the Frankfurt
Agreement. At each meeting, an updated review of IEC publications exempted from parallel
procedures is presented: a first part lists permanent and temporary exemptions, while a second
part indicates those IEC documents that are used as such in Europe. The Permanent Delegates are
invited to check beforehand with the relevant Technical Bodies whether the status mentioned is
still correct and to inform CCMC of any needed modification. This document remains a key tool in
order to apply the Frankfurt Agreement properly.
The Exemption list is available on the CENELEC BOSS.
Next CEN and CENELEC BT meetings
May 2021
2021-05-25 – 93 CEN/BT
2021-05-26 – Common Session
2021-05-27 – 168 CLC/BT
October 2021
2021-10-19 – 169 CLC/BT
2021-10-20 – Common Session
2021-10-21 – 94 CEN/BT
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